More and more children are requesting healthy food be served up their birthday parties, according to one writer.

Abbie Wightwick made the claim on Walesonline.co.uk, stating that kids are becoming more aware of food cooked from scratch and how tasty it can be.

Previously, families would rent out function venues and serve up a buffet of typical party food – sausage rolls, crisps etc. However now, some are being asked to cook their own gourmet food and take it with them to the party venue – not by fellow parents, but by the birthday boys/girls themselves.

Wightwick spoke from personal experience, claiming: “When we tell our children they eat too much junk food and watch too much television, we shouldn’t be surprised when they refuse to do either – just at the moment you wish they would.

“I asked my nine-year-old what he’d like for tea on his birthday. ‘Pizza’ he said…’I want you to make it’ he added. He then reeled off a list of toppings which included egg and spinach.”

Wightwick said she was surprised by the turn of events, and speculated that perhaps parents are now being expected to ignore all shortcuts when it comes to birthday parties. Instead, she “fears” she’ll be forced to cook from scratch everytime her children have a birthday.

“All this at the same time as fielding birthday phone calls and a wild present-opening frenzy with friends,” Wightwick said.

The writer concluded by stating that co-ordinating parties of this kind just “isn’t possible” for parents who have a job, kids with myriad activities and kids’ parties with over 20 guests. Her thoughts were echoed by Mumsnet.com, where an expert claimed: “Key thing to remember: it is a party and the occasional bit of junk food is not a crime.”